Christian Homekeeping

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while and by now everyone has heard of this show about "Extreme" Couponing.  The title itself kind of gives you a summarization of what it all entails but there is more to this than meets the eye.  I've seen others become obsessed about couponing to the point its all they talk about.  I wonder to myself - is God so limited to them that he can't provide them with what they need that they must eat, sleep and breathe couponing?

I watched a few episodes of this show on youtube and the whole "spirit" of it is very disturbing.  My husband, only seeing the register clips - also commented on the "spirit" of it all.  Somehow it doesn't seem right to take advantage of a store like that.  It seems greedy, selfish (no regard for others) and obsessive to where it becomes an addiction.  Then, you have those that try and quench the conscience of doing this by "giving" it to those in need or for charity, as if that somehow makes it all ok.  Is it ok?  Do you honestly mean to tell me that stores expected people to come in and clear out their shelves without paying anything?  No!  They were probably thinking a few coupon deals could help out the Average Joe and then they are taken advantage of in such a way that now many stores have to place "limits" on how many per family and placing more rules on coupon use.  YET, you have those that will even work around this by going out of the store and coming back in - that's stealing!  They said 2 per family, not visit!

I can't tell you how many times I've gone to the store for needs of ours and they are completely cleared out.  I may not have known about the "gotta-have-it" sale.  Sally May bought enough toothpaste for the entire town, however, she was only thinking of herself, definitely not anyone in town - because they are flat out of luck if they needed any!

Just what is greed?

Greed: a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed.

What is an addiction?

Addiction: the state of being devoted and surrendered to something habitually and obsessively.

What is an obsession?

Obsession: a persistent disturbing occupation with an often unreasonable idea of feeling; broadly: compelling motivation

What is selfishness?

Selfishness: : concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others

Really thinking on those definitions above, you have to search yourself; your intents; motivations.  Are you regarding others; being considerate; displaying courtesy by having it all for yourself?  Is this Christian behavior?

In summary, I'm all for preparation and storing up for your family by having a stockpile of goods, that is pure wisdom.  However, when it becomes the be all, end all of your life and you are literally CONSUMED by couponing and it gives you a "high" - this isn't the "spirit" of Christ.  The mind of Christ that we should share is servant-oriented.  Christ looks on the things of others more than Himself.

Greed, selfishness, obsession and addiction can take a hold of anyone that is highly consumed about money - don't let it destroy you.  You can coupon wisely, pray before you go to the grocery store!  I do this almost every time and God just blesses all over the place and I didn't have to spend 20 hours clipping coupons and scrounging garbage bins!  My God is more powerful than that and he has never failed us yet!  We are still able to make it on $120 a month and even times I wasn't sure what to do (when I tried to do it in my own ability).......I stopped and prayed and God gave me wisdom on how to make it all work and that much more efficiently.  He even filled up our maple syrup jar when I was worried about it running out too quick!  Is the God that fed the 5,000 not able to feed you and your family that you have to use "Extreme" measures?  Our God is able and willing but are you willing to have that faith?

Psa 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Joh 21:6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

How about some EXTREME FAITH for a change!?  Hallelujah!?

Several people have asked me the "how" question.  It is a series of questions that seek to know HOW one does such a thing and I'm here to finally answer that.  A few of the "how" questions are:

1. HOW do you keep your house clean all the time?
2. HOW do you make most of your food and snacks homemade?
3. HOW do you spend so little on groceries?
4. HOW do you homeschool and do all these things?
5. HOW did you learn to do all these things?
6. HOW, HOW, HOW........?

I will give you the answer to all of these and first and foremost, it is God helping me.  Secondly, it is because I'm doing what GOD called me to do (and all women) by being a keeper AT home.  Now you may be agreeing with me and most people do that ask these how questions because they are also "homekeepers" but there is a place where we differ.  I'm AT home and they are most of the time not AT home.  That is it in a nutshell - that is the answer!  If you are never AT home but are a busybody going from house to house, etc - HOW can you do anything?

It isn't just an occupation to be a homekeeper, it is a duty to be at home, managing our home and making it better.  We should never attain and say we don't need to learn, we should always be learning and bettering ourselves and our skills to make our calling as homekeepers worthy, so we don't give an occasion for reproach upon Christianity and so that the word of God be not blasphemed. (1 Timothy 5 & Titus 2)

The common criticism of those against our church and the women being at home are based on some truths sadly.  They have seen "homekeepers" who don't keep their home, their homes are filthy and they eat off ramen and hot dogs and throw their kids around never spending time with them.  There are women who work that still find time to make homemade foods for their family and keep their house and then they look at women that are supposed to be at home all day and see how lazy they are, NO WONDER they stay on the job!  What do they have to look at?  What example are they given?

The neglect of your duty, your calling as a woman, only shames the gospel.  We are to be examples and testimonies that what God called a woman to be is right.  HOW can others see that when you have no works to show?  You should be working an 8-hour day inside your home.  Your husband is out all day working so you can stay home and do what?  Feed your face, facebook and play games!?  Have you earned your keep lately?

So the answer to all the "hows" and the flattery of how great I am because I can do all this is really a farce - I'm not anything great, I just DO.  If others would DO, they wouldn't think it so "great" to make homemade things and keep a clean house.  It isn't some special gift that I have - it's not being lazy and doing what we are supposed to and I don't need any praise and I actually loathe when people flatter me, I try and make them stop.  For real, I should be doing way more!  If we truly work 8 hours a day at our "job" - we should have something to show for it right?

If you got paid for being a homekeeper, how much do you think you are worth?  That is something you really have to think about.  My husband expects me to keep the house managed, provide healthy homemade meals most of the time and teach our daughter - I can't do that if I'm not at home.  I'm tired of others thinking I'm something when this should be the "norm" for homekeepers.  If homekeepers were truly at home DOING,  they wouldn't think I'm some sort of rare, gifted being.  If you set the bar at Jesus, we are all nothing.  I compare myself with Jesus and I see how far I have to go and how nothing is nothing great about me, besides Jesus.

It is time we put in the time and then the "hows" will come!  Are you worthy of your hire?  Are you shortchanging your employer; your husband?  Are you taking a free ride by doing nothing and being lazy all day?  Are you neglecting your own family to be with friends?  Do you do good deeds outside the home for the applaud of men but nothing good for your family inside the home for those that matter most?

Clark's commentary is spot on:

Keepers at Home - A woman who spends much time in visiting, must neglect her family. The idleness, dirtiness, impudence, and profligacy of the children, will soon show how deeply criminal the mother was in rejecting the apostle’s advice. Instead of οικουρους, keepers of the house, or keepers at home, ACD*EFG, and several of the Itala, have οικουργους, workers at home; not only staying in the house and keeping the house, but working in the house. A woman may keep the house very closely, and yet do little in it for the support or comfort of the family.

That the word of God be not blasphemed - The enemies of the Gospel are quick-eyed to spy out imperfections in its professors; and, if they find women professing Christianity living an irregular life, they will not fail to decry the Christian doctrine on this account: “Behold your boasted religion! it professes to reform all things, and its very professors are no better than others! Our heathenism is as good as your Christianity.” These are cutting reproaches; and much they will have to answer for who give cause for these blasphemies.

This doesn't mean you can't ever leave your home, obviously you do for church, shopping and fellowship but the majority of your time, your job, is at home!  Don't give an occasion; a place; reason; for others to decry the gospel and our doctrine!  Rather, give them reason to see Jesus in you by your works, love, diligence, discipline and the role God designed us for will shine as the stars of heaven before all!

The question is: Is God glorified by your life before others or have you given an opportunity to the enemy to reproach God's calling for women?

"See how the little busy bee Improves each shining hour, And gathers honey all the day From every opening flower! In works of labor or of skill, We should be busy too; For Satan finds some mischief, still, For idle hands to do." Dr. Watts.

I've had for this saved for about 7 years now and go back to read it and it still really speaks to me! Sometimes we just need a slap upside the head to make you realize.  Author is unknown.

A time comes in your life when you finally get it...when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying and struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is your awakening.

You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change...or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You begin to realize that serenity comes with acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are ... and that's OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions. And you learn the importance of loving yourself...and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you. So, you learn that with God's help you can stand on your own, to take care of yourself and in the process a sense of safety and security is born.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties...and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the junk you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you should make, what you should drive, and how and where you should live.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing. You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing, and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life. You learn that you don't know everything, and that you can't teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry.

Then you learn about love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. And you learn that alone does not mean lonely. You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won't settle for less.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for, and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone...and that it's OK to risk asking for help. You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself. You learn to step right into, and through your fears, because you know that whatever happens you and God can handle it. And you learn to fight for your life, and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's just life happening.

And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state -- the ego. You learn negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls. You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself, and to never, ever, settle for less than being the person you want to be. And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you
make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live.

I was always deadset against homeschooling and the reason for my views against homeschooling had been based on one girl in our high school who had been homeschooled all the way up until they released her into our high school.  She was weird, too smart for the rest of us (haha) and just didn't know how to function in the environment or so it seemed.  I had let ONE homeschooled person influence my view of homeschooling as do so many others.

I know some people now that think just because you homeschool your child is living in a cage or something.  However, once you actually do homeschool (or get educated on the "current" homeschooling movement) you realize that they are actually LET OUT OF THE CAGE of the public indoctrination institutions!  You realize they are more outgoing than their peers, can talk with any age - from children to adult - and seem to have a better grip on "socialization" than those in the cage.  I've seen some local kids that attend PS and they can hardly even talk, much less socialize but they can sure act like some Hollywood starlet but that is another story........

Public school socialization teaches the kids to be like the other kids, mimicking the popular to try and be accepted.  They lose their own self and personality in their endeavor to be like Jennifer-Cooler.  In essence when released from the caged life of this improper socialization, they can't seem to function in the workplace with those that aren't their age.  So HOW did this 'associate with only your age' socialization really prepare them for REAL life?  It doesn't - very rarely will you ever been in a social situation of just those your age again, thus they are ill-prepared for real life scenarios and are those usually drawn to cliques.

There are some homeschoolers who have backward kids and its the parents fault!  If you keep that child locked up all day, everyday and never let them talk to people - then HELLO, you are setting them up for failure.  However, very rarely does that ever happen nowadays - maybe back in Grandpa's day when only one mom on the block homeschooled but honey, homeschoolers are growing at rapid speeds and we got several moms who homeschool on our block alone!  You can't take decades-old skewed views of homeschooling and demean those today who homeschool - things have changed!

This is where the homeschool group comes in.  The groups aren't just for the kids, in reality they are more for the MOMS!  I've met so many ladies in my area that are Christians, even though they don't attend my church - they exemplify Christ in their lives.  There is a camaraderie not only because we are all Christ-followers but also because we can relate to each other.  We are moms who give our lives to God, our home, husbands and children fully and we need to know there are others like us out there somewhere.

It is time to take off your worn decade-glasses so you can see that we are a group of moms who are training our children to make it in this world with a God-view, not an atheist-view!  Moms are producing better-educated children everyday that excel and even Ivy League schools are recruiting homeschoolers because, let's face it - a mom just knows her child and is the child's best teacher!  You can't look at my child and say she isn't socialized, on the contrary, she is one of the most social kids I know!  She invites complete strangers to church, talks them up at the store and doesn't fit the "caged-homeschooled" view that everyone claimed she would be.  So who is really caged?

Something that Pastor mentioned in conference caught my attention: "If God doesn't do it to you, why would you do it to your children?"  Got me thinking about public schools and how if God wouldn't want us to listen to lies and sit under false teachings then WHY do you sit your children under it?  If God teaches us He created all then WHY would you let your child be taught a science that says He is not the Creator?  Why are you putting your children under false teachings?  Why do you let your child be taught LIES?

Then I saw this today and wow......still so amazed and shocked that Christians would let their children be taught perverse things against God and his design:

The California Legislature could soon pass a bill that would require school textbooks and teachers to incorporate information on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans into their curriculum.

Explain to me please and back it up with God's Word on WHY you let your children be taught:

“This is teaching children from kindergarten on up that the homosexual, bisexual, transsexual lifestyle is something to admire and consider for themselves"

Read the rest here: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/04/06/include-gay-rights-movement-info-california-textbooks-clears-hurdle/?test=latestnews

Yep, I didn't think you had any scripture to support children sitting under false, perverse, ungodly teaching!  If you won't be taught it then WHY ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH would you let YOUR CHILDREN be taught it!?!?  It is so past time for people to open their closed eyes and realize before its too late and their children become teenagers and no longer want to be in the house of God.  Why do you wonder why they don't want God at 18 when you sat your child under false teaching, atheistic science that was against God and a Christ-less history for 12 years.......then what did you expect?  You trained them to be full of the world, its ideologies, social system and it should be no surprise to you that that is who they become.  You gave their mind over to error, you were too busy to teach them Bible at home - after all, you have to be the greatest Children's Church teacher but your own child doesn't know the Bible!  You missed the most important soul.......the one in your house.  Sadly, its a story I see too much of.

What does God have to say about it?

Train up a child in homesexual acceptance, atheistic science and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Oh wait......oops, my bad, I was writing the scripture as thus saith some Christians......let me get God's version:

Pro 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 

Well, obviously, God is NOT for training your child in the way it SHOULD NOT go but rather the way it SHOULD GO! Hmm, just doesn't jive with what some have said so who is wrong?

"Through the public school's precepts my child gets understanding: therefore they love every false way."

Oops, sorry about that again, I was reading out of that other version again, "The Tolerant Souls Version", *ahem*, let me get God's:

Psa 119:104  Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. 

Tolerant Souls Version says:

Fathers, provoke your children to wrath; bring them up in the atheistic learning and admonition of the homosexual teacher.

God's version:

Eph 6:4  And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

Let's dig into some more of God's Word:

Isa 54:13  And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Jer 10:2  Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

1Co 15:33  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Parents, don't feel bad if you get criticized (as I do all the time), about homeschooling your child!  Your reward is coming when they won't depart from the house of God!!  It will be worth it when you child gets saved, filled the Holy Spirit and wants to go soul winning!!  It will be worth it when you can lay your head down at night knowing your children are going to Heaven with you!  It will be worth it when your child chooses to read their Bible instead of Facebook!!  Train them up in the way they should go and bring them in the instruction of the Lord!  Tell satan they aren't for sale!!!!

I have been putting these off for too long, sorry for those whose questions I'm not getting answered until now.  I tried to answer all the questions in the Freezer Cooking Guide but some I wasn't able to, so I will go ahead and answer all of them now.

Q. When I go to cook a meal that's already been frozen, what's the procedure? Do I need to defrost for a period of time, or simply pop the frozen dish in the oven?

A.  Here is what I do: for meals that have any type of pasta, I do a quick-thaw, which is basically filling up a large bowl or the sink with room temperature water and placing the ziploc bag in the water for 10-20 minutes or until you can break it up and get it out of the bag.  Then, I put it on a skillet on the stove and heat it till very hot, constantly turning as it starts to melt even more.  This way helps to prevent soggy pasta, and heating it on the skillet also helps to make the noodles crispier.  I've done it the other way and let it thaw for hours in the fridge or counter and its a soggy mess.

For meals that are casserole dishes, I simply take them from the freezer and put them in a pre-heated oven and bake.  With spaghetti and pizza sauce, you can either thaw them in the fridge or counter and heat them on the stove or microwave or you can quick-thaw them in water and heat them up.

Meals such as BBQ Beef and other sandwich fillings, taco fillings or those that go with rice, I simply let them thaw on the counter or in the fridge most of the day.  Then I will heat them on the stove, in the oven or sometimes the microwave in a microwaveable-safe glass dish.  You will find that while they are thawing, the sauces really help marinade the meat.  The meatloaf, for us, is way better after its been frozen then before!

Q.  Can rice be cooked and froze in the freezer?  I would also like to start making meals for up to at least two months and one of my family's favorite side dishes is rice. I know it would be nothing to cook it that day that we eat it but if it can be cooked in big patches and froze and then popped in the microwave that I would love to try it.

A.  Yes it can though we prefer freshly cooked rice.  If you want to freeze rice, simply cook it and then let it cool and transfer to ziploc bags.  You can portion it out but you don't have to because rice is easy to break off, even when frozen.  Do the same with rice as you would with pasta, do a quick-thaw and then heat, although I would think you would need to add some water to the rice when re-heating.

Q.  will you be putting a 3-4 month menu of how you divided and eat your delicious dinners?
how much do you spend at the store for cooking 3-4 months of meals at one time?
do you have any leftovers? if so what do you do with them? 

A.  The guide I did was geared to once a month cooking and all I can offer right now to show how I do the 3-4 month freezer cooking is my posts under freezer cooking on this blog.  It is so strange how it works out but it is cheaper for me to cook 3 months of meals at once, than if I did 1 month, 3 months in a row.  I think its because I buy larger sizes of certain ingredients and it seems to cost less.  I average about $150 for what I need to cook 3 months of freezer meals.  That is from getting my meat on sale, usually buy one get one deals and purchasing a lot of my other items directly from a farm, thereby cutting out the "middle man" and saving money! ;-)  I portion out our meals to last for one meal, so we don't have leftovers.

Q.  i would love your recipe for granola bars.  I have been looking but can't seem to find it. 

A.  I use this recipe.

A young couple moved into a new neighborhood
The next morning while they were eating breakfast,
The young woman saw her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
“That laundry is not very clean,' she said.
“She doesn’t know how to wash correctly.
Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.”

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry,
The young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see
a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:

“Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.
I wonder who taught her this.”

The husband said,”I got up early this morning and
Cleaned our windows.”

And so it is with life.

What we see when watching others
Depends on the window through which we look.

Author Unknown

I recently had a 48-hour flu and then when I was feeling better I got bronchitis.  I had a wonderful friend that brought me over some homemade, organic soup and it was so good!  Below are the natural remedies I took the past week and I'm glad to say its been 6 days with bronchitis and I'm almost completely better!  Here is what I used:

• Echinacea - as soon as you start to even feel a cold/cough, etc coming on start taking echinacea.  I took 3 doses per day, which was a dropperful for each dose mixed in a tiny amount of water and shot down.   You need to get the correct echinacea, one with BOTH the purpurea (whole plant) and augustifolia (root).  Sometimes it is sold under the name "Premium Echinacea" but you can always make certiain by looking on the back for the blend.
• Astragalus (Astragalus Membranaceus)- you can actually take this everyday, not just when you are sick, to strengthen your immune system.  For this illness, I took 2-3 doses a day, which a dose is one dropperful.
• Raw Organic Garlic - garlic is a natural antibiotic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, etc.  It is awesome stuff and you can ingest some everyday for good health.  For this illness, I swallowed 1-2 cloves a day.  I simply mince a clove and put it in my mouth, throw some water in and swallow - don't chew!
• Eucalyptus Steam Bath - this is for not only pain relief in the sinus/bronchial tubes but it will prevent you from getting bacterial bronchitis.  Eucalyptus inhibits the growth of bacteria and its even used in public saunas.  It not only will help coat your airways and prevent bacterial growth, it soothes and feels so good!  You simply bring 4-6 cups of water to a rolling boil on the stove, remove from heat and let sit for about a minute or till the bubbles go down. Then, add 3-4 drops of eucalyptus oil and get under there with a towel for 10 minutes.  It feels awesome!
• Neti-Pot or Nasal Douching - This is your best friend!  I use the neti-pot every morning I have a cold or in this instance for bronchitis.  It cleared out my nasal cavities, got rid of that terrible nasal dripping in the back of my throat by loosening it all up and expelling out.  If you don't have a neti-pot, you can do what my mom does and mix some salt/baking soda in warm water and then cup your hand get some and inhale it and spit it out your mouth.  I didn't like that way and I prefer the neti-pot's ease.  I did this every morning and not sure what I would have done without - probably been really miserable with nasal congestion and the dripping ugh!  A few years ago, I used to take nasal decongestants, such as Sudafed but my doctor told me NO MORE Sudafed EVER!  He hates the stuff and I can see why - its messes with you.  Anyway, since then, I've not needed a nasal decongestant because the neti-pot does it without the harmful effects that the drugs give you.
• Vitamin C - this is a must to help you get better and build your defenses.  I was taking 2000-5000mg per day while I was sick but the form of vitamin c I had on hand was just too strong for my throat so I switched to some pure vegetable/fruit juice with extra vitamin c.  I would suggest if you have a sore throat or bronchitis to not use vitamin c in ascorbic acid powder but rather Ester-C.
• Warm Water - at least 64oz of water a day and seems like warm, not cold or hot, worked best for me.  Also I added organic lemon juice to my water sometimes.
• L-lysine - most won't need this but whenever I get sick, I tend to break out in cold sores on my lips.  I felt one coming on but quickly swallowed 1000mg of L-lysine and it never progressed thankfully.  I try and take this whenever I feel one tingling or when I'm sick, for prevention.

You can read my previous post from on hair care here and then there is also a series of "My Hair Story".   Someone had asked about hair care tips, so I thought I would do another post on it.  You can click on the first link above and basically still do the same thing I have done for years with my straight hair, except I do curl it LESS now than I did years ago.

It's not just wash, condition and go - you have to be gentle with your hair and even rubbing your hair with a towel can damage it, cause frizz, etc.  Here is my hair cleaning regime:

Shampoo mostly concentrating on the scalp and using the suds for the ends; Rinse.  Condition with half-palm size of conditioner only from ears down!  I don't use conditioner on my scalp or above my ears.  I then very gently put the conditioner on my ends with my head flipped over.  Then I gently use a wide-toothed comb (I keep one in the shower) from ends up to scalp.  Then I put my hair in a loose bun at the nape of my neck and cover it with a shower cap.  I leave it in the shower cap anywhere from 3-5 minutes.  Then I rinse it out.

When finished, very gently work your hands from scalp to ends squeezing with your hands - don't twist or rub.  Then I flip my hair over in the shower and squeeze from scalp to ends again to remove excess water.  Then I put the towel over my hair and it give it a twist to secure it on top and wear it for about 5 minutes.

Next, I take a wide-toothed comb and fluff my roots up, then comb my hair gently and it glides straight through - because remember, I combed it with conditioner in the shower so its not tangled.  Then I let it air-dry and depending upon humidity in the house, it usually takes anywhere from 2-3 hours and sometimes its dry enough to walk out the door at 1 1/2 hours, just damp underneath.

You can read about the coconut oil treatments here.  I do those just monthly now or whenever I curled my hair to prevent breakage.  I still clarify my hair about twice a month with Suave's Daily Clarifying Shampoo.  This is to remove buildup from my shampoo/conditioner that is inevitable.

Most people don't think about how they sleep on their hair damages it. I always throw my hair back behind my pillow and I also taught my daughter to do this and she does it every night - its a habit for her now.  It also keeps my hair looking good for the next day and I don't have to wash but every other day.

I comb and go - I no longer use ANY styling products!  I don't use any hairspray, silicone sprays, gels, NOTHING!  Just shampoo/conditioner......and my hair's natural state is allowed to flourish without all these added products.  I also never blow-dry anymore.  There were a few times I did but only in emergencies lol.  I refuse to put my hair through that because the damage is so great.

I also don't use a flat iron - I don't need to because my hair is naturally straight now that the perm is grown out.  The only curling iron I use is the one I told you about in the other post - the heat is so low, I can hold my hand on the iron and it will never burn.  Its barely-there heat and it still curls my hair and it lasts till the next day.

My recipe for perfect hair - a good shampoo/conditioner; NO BRUSHING! Just a wide-toothed comb; NO HEAT and NO products with drying ingredients - like alcohol in hairspray.

You can read Part 1, 2 and 3 by clicking on each.

Just as cooks pray for a good crop of young animals and fishermen for a good haul of fish, in the same way busybodies pray for a good crop of calamities or a good haul of difficulties that they, like cooks and fishermen, may always have something to fish out and butcher. -Plutarch, "On Being a Busybody"

Nobody can think straight who does not work.  Idleness warps the mind.  ~Henry Ford

Keep doing some kind of work, that the devil may always find you employed.  ~St. Jerome

Tomorrow is the only day in the year that appeals to a lazy man.  ~Jimmy Lyons

Do not repeat anything you will not sign your name to. ~Author Unknown

It is one of my sources of happiness never to desire a knowledge of other people's business. ~Dolley Madison

I've been having some wonderful talks with my dad about what he has learned over the years from starting a church in our home, having it grow successfully at times reaching over 100 and pastoring for 26 years.  I've already blogged about the heart-felt love my dad had and the relation to Paul, in that, he didn't want to be burdensome to his flock by being supported.  Now, I will continue the story and I was amazed that this was even shared in a recent Bible study - God knows!

Although my dad didn't expect the support of his church those 26 years, it caused not only problems for himself and our family, but it caused his flock to become a people who didn't think the man of God deserved much.  They became callous and it even pained them to give my dad $100 a month.  Eventually, they conspired against my dad and brought in a man secretly to overtake my dad's church.  Thankfully, one of them clued my dad in to what was happening and my dad got up and preached a message to those people and resigned and walked out with my mom.

Growing up, we lived in what would be called poverty levels.  Here, was my dad running a church at one time reaching 120 members and we were struggling to eat.  If my mom ever got a new outfit, snide remarks would be made to her.  My parents kept a cheap, gray car because if it had color or was a new car, the people would surely think we were stealing from them.  Oh, how my parents suffered for a heartless people!  I asked God recently to bless my parents and pay off all their debts for what they endured for 26 years out of pure love to see souls saved!

Was this a good thing that my dad did?  Did he create such a people because he didn't teach them to support the man of God?  He sure did suffer and still does because for those 26 years when he should have been supported by his ministry, he dug a hole of debt that he is still in today.

Paul himself, later asked forgiveness for this wrong he had done to the Corinthians of not receiving support from them.

For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:13

The other churches gave support to Paul and this made the Corinth church inferior to them.  He noted it as a wrong but still didn't want anything of them but that rather they would be saved.  Maybe, Paul saw what kind of people it made them as the Corinth church was full of sin.  The Corinthians didn't get to get the blessing that comes with supporting a pastor and thereby he deprived them that blessing.  How similiar to what my dad experienced! What does this all teach us?

We should have a heart to support the man of God.  I'm of the belief and so is my dad, that a pastor should be the one who has ALL his material needs met!  He shouldn't even be without because we are obligated to that pastor's material needs because he takes care of our spiritual needs!  He is worthy of his hire!!  I personally think that the pastor should be the one with the nicest car, nicest house and clothes because how could we ever repay him for the sacrifice he makes for our OUR souls!

Those that have a problem with supporting a pastor by paying their tithes are surely full of greed, covetousness, jealousy and envy.  Their heart is not right, how could it be?  They are those that are caught up in money and covetousness.  That is why they have such a hard time with a minister having anything, they have an evil heart!  If they don't have it, they hate anyone that does have it!  Truly, they need to be saved because they have never had the love of God.

After a few years of healing from what has happened, my dad is ready to pastor again and he will expect that which is rightfully his and the people will be blessed by taking care of the man of God!  A Christian should always have a heart, not only to give God what is rightfully his (a tenth of all your increase), but also to support the man of God.  For what pastors suffer, it is but a small thing to give them material goods.  Also, don't forget that God ordained this system of support:

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. ~ 1 Corinthians 9:14

A friend asked me to scan this for her after seeing it in my laundry room.  Our first pastor gave us a copy of this and its always a great reminder and I thought I would share it with you all as well.  Feel free to click on it and enlarge and save for your own use.

Since I had the chicken enchiladas in 2 glass pie plates, it was harder this time to fit it all in the freezer but I did with room to spare!  I will go picture by picture on how I packed the freezer.....

1.  I freeze my 3 glass casserole dishes on the side ledge and divide them with cardboard so they don't get squished.  Then in the second photo, I'm showing you how I arrange the already frozen ziploc bags - standing up for easy access.  I freeze whatever I cook on a certain day in the tray on top and then when its frozen solid by next morning, I move it to the bottom.


2.  This was my first time using pie plates for a freezer meal - chicken enchiladas.  I had 2, so I came up with the idea to break apart a box and then place one on one side and then put the other side down and place it on top.  You can't see it in the photo, but I had another piece of cardboard folded into a triangle to keep the cardboard off the one on the bottom.  It worked perfectly!


3.  Next, I froze Friday's meals in the tray and moved them below on Saturday when they were frozen.


4.  Then on Saturday, I froze the meatloaves and beefy mac in the trays.  Notice how everything fits and there is still room under the tray on the left for more food!  All I have left to put in there is the mac n' cheese on Mon. night.


5.  Here are 2 shots of the freezer above the fridge.  This is where I store my spaghetti and pizza sauces, yeast, bananas for shakes, berries, junk food (yes, we occasionally eat junk), burritos, ice pack, ice, salmon patties, muffins, etc.  This week, I'm taking those 5 pounds of strawberries and making jam.  I'm actually going to move things around a bit in here next week but here is how it looks now:


I hope this helped show you how YOU can fit 3 months of meals in a small 5-cubic foot chest freezer!!  It's all in the packing!  We have packed a LOT of Uhaul's in our days - so we have learned a bit about making things fit and who knew it would benefit my freezer packing abilities lol. ;-)

Some have asked where we got our freezer.  We actually bought it from our 2nd pastor in Alaska, but you can find it here at Walmart for $199: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5751096

We have had this freezer, the Haier brand for 6-7 years now and it runs great.  We had a lot of ice build-up on the sides but hubby just chopped it off with a screwdriver and we melted it in the sink lol.  No need to turn it off and let it melt when it comes off so easily!  I keep mine on 2 and the food gets frozen solid as a rock.  I don't think I've ever used the highest setting of 3, don't see a need to.  The cost to run the freezer per YEAR is just about $20 on setting 2, I suppose its more like $26 a year on setting 3.  So cost is definitely not an issue here!  

You normally don't get freezer burn at all in a chest freezer, that is mostly limited to foods put in a freezer that is above a fridge.

I was thinking of my dad, who pastored a church he started from nothing for 26 years.  He didn't want to accept money from the congregation monthly but they did force him to take at least $100 a month.  He decided that he wanted to work and support himself and his family, rather than to live off the gospel (although he had a right to as the Bible states).  He told me years later he did that so that no one could say they made him rich or bought his house and his car, etc.  My dad would drive a modest car and dress us in Kmart specials lol.

I started reading about Paul and how he himself did the same thing.  I really dug into the account in 1 Corinthians 9 and wanted to share my study with you all.  Paul was a man to be admired!  He reminded me of my dad, in that, though he had the POWER; the right; to live off the gospel - he chose rather to make his own way as not to hinder the gospel.  Notice the verse that states this:

Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.  ~ 1 Cor. 9:12

Paul suffered and didn't live off the church to prevent the hindering of the gospel.  Now, you may say to yourself, HOW could he hinder the gospel by taking what is rightfully his?  He tells us in a later verse:

But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. ~ 1 Cor. 9:15

Others couldn't say he was getting rich off of them or abusing the gospel for gain.  He didn't want to give an opportunity for anyone to try and destroy his ministry this way and therefore hindering the gospel.  He cared so much for souls and seeing others saved, that he didn't want to do anything to hinder that - even taking what was rightfully his.  He suffered for others!  Amazing!

Here is Barnes' commentary on the end of verse 15:

“Any man” would have made that “void,” if he had supported Paul; had prevented the necessity of his labor, and had thus exposed him to the charge of having preached the gospel for the sake of gain.

The charge of having preached the gospel for the sake of gain is one that is common today and sadly there are those that are doing just that!  You hear about them being arrested every few years because they were stealing money, getting rich of the gospel wrongfully and causing many to turn on the gospel because of their abuse of the gospel for gain.

I couldn't help but see the parallel of my dad and Paul.  My dad loved the people in his church so greatly that he refused to accept his rightfully-owed pay.  Yet, he spent 26 years of his life working a full-time job, pastoring a church and suffering to see souls saved.  He also spent hours crying and praying for those people that they don't know about but I remember.  I remember those times when my dad went up to the barn in the middle of the night to pray to God.  I remember the calls in the middle of the night and how he would rush out to help someone.  Things unseen and he did it all for others and not for money.

Where are men like these?  Ones that would even go so far as to not take what was rightfully theirs to prevent accusations such as Paul described because they loved souls more.  Paul said he made himself an example.  Notice what Peter said:

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.  ~ 1 Peter 5:2-3

Ministers shouldn't pursue the gospel as an easy way to make a living but rather for the love of souls and out of willing heart to preach the gospel.  They also shouldn't "lord" over God's people but rather be an example to them.  The world "lord" here means to control or dominate.  I really like Wesley's commentary on this:

Behaving in a haughty, domineering manner, as though you had dominion over their conscience. The word translated heritage, is, literally, the portions. There is one flock under the one chief Shepherd; but many portions of this, under many pastors. But being examples to the flock - This procures the most ready and free obedience.

Most of the time, those that seek gain from the gospel are also guilty of being proud, controlling and domineering.  They have to be this way so that they can control the people and get the money.  In essence they are making profit off of other's consciences.  Thereby they prevent the people from giving money WILLINGLY and FREELY - the people give because they are forced by this mental dominance.

Later on in the passage, Paul says:

What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. ~ 1 Cor. 9:18-19

What is Paul's ultimate goal if he preaches without compensation, thereby escaping the accusation of the abuse of power in the gospel, and then making himself a servant to all??  SO THAT HE MIGHT GAIN MORE SOULS!  Wow!  Paul counts his reward, not as monetary, but rather that of winning souls for Christ. What an ultimate sacrifice for others!  Who could deny Paul's love for people?  He made himself a voluntarily slave for no gain to the saving of the souls of others!

Barnes' commentary sums it all up:

A heart warmed with zeal for God, and breathing after the salvation of men, will not plead and insist upon rights and privileges in bar to this design. Those manifestly abuse their power in the gospel who employ it not to edification but destruction, and therefore breathe nothing of its spirit.

Ministers that plead and insist upon the rights, lord over God's heritage only cause their own destruction.  They will create a people whose giving is unwillingly out of a heart of fear, guilt and obligation.  It will be a people most miserable and will only feed the pride and covetousness of the minister who is more interested in gaining wealth and "employees" rather than the saving of souls.

Part 2 - Blessings Deprived

What does God have to say about finances in His Word?  We see numerous passages that God is against debt and the Christian shouldn't purposely pursue debt but I understand that certain uncontrollable situations (medical bills), can leave us chained up in debt.  It isn't the time to take a handout or to find ways to not pay back what you owe - it is the time to pray and see the mighty hand of God take care of that debt!

A lot of times, people's financial situations are the result of their own choices.  Let's say that an uncontrollable situation such as a hospitalization occurs to you as it did to me a few years ago.  Let me insert this in here - you SHOULD have had insurance instead of spending your money on fancy cell phones, new cars, etc. but we learned the hard way by being uninsured 4 years ago.  You are left with a $50,000 medical bill.  The hospital tells you about the charity program based on income and they send you the form to fill out.  You can sign that form, which asks for all your expenses (even tithes) and send it in hoping to get it written off telling them (as most of those charity forms state) that you CAN NOT and DO NOT have the money to pay that debt back.  Charity is for those who are really without, not for those who would rather spend their money on other things.  You are giving your word that you can't do it.  Can you honestly say that truthfully?  I couldn't and though it would have seemed the easy road out, I knew in my heart that God wanted us to pay our debts back that we owed.

The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. ~Psalm 37:21

Then we got to see the mighty hand of God move, got to receive his financial blessings and realized that we made the right choice.  I had gotten another bill and noticed that somehow $24,000 (can't remember exact, could have been $26,000) was missing on the bill.  I called to find out what had happened and the whole medical billing staff was stumped because they said, it was taken off our bill but there was no reason as to why, who did it or what.  But they verified to us, saying we didn't owe it and someone had taken care of it for us!  Talk about a hallelujah breakdown!  Who knows, maybe God did it LOL!  Still to this day, its a mystery but they said it was valid but they don't know who forgave that $24,000.  We continued making the rest of the payments over 4 years and repayed our debt.

What if we had taken the other road and got the handout lying and saying we couldn't pay the debt, when we knew we could have over years of payments?  I believe, as its so commonly seen, that we would have created our own financial disaster because God doesn't bless lying and not repaying your debts.  We wouldn't have gotten to see the hand of God move so miraculously and we wouldn't have LEARNED through discipline of paying a bill over so many years that we never wanted to be in debt again and go without health insurance!!

The above example is just one, but there are other scenarios you can imagine that lead people into their financial ruin as they go against the principles set up by God.  If you pay your tithe, give offerings and follow God's Word in your financial dealings - you will find that the overflowing of blessings never ending!

This is becoming a series of sorts I guess and you can read the previous post on My Once-A-Week 3-Hour Cleaning Marathon.

I used to do 7-14 loads of laundry a week and I'm not kidding!  I would do small, frequent loads and didn't realize how much it was costing us to use the washer/dryer everyday UNTIL I switched to doing it all in one day.  Now I have it down to 5 loads most weeks, unless I'm washing rugs, bed sheets or our comforter.  Not only do you only have to wash laundry once-a-week, but you save on electric and water costs because you are washing extra-large loads instead of several small loads daily.  It really does add up and is more efficient and takes less time this way.

I start as soon as I wake up on Monday morning by throwing a load in the wash.  I don't have to sort because it's already sorted with that great laundry unit I posted about here.  It is so handy to just grab a bag and throw it in the wash!  For towels/rags, I keep those in a tall basket with holes so it has air and won't grow mold.  I also try to air-out my rags before I put them in the basket so they aren't so wet.

Here are my main 5 loads and water temp:

1. Whites - hot
2. Colors - warm
3. Delicates - cold; sometimes 2 loads
4. Husband's Work Clothes - cold
5. Towels & Rags - hot

As Christians, we can read the Bible and find out what God's will is for our life.  We find that women are to be keepers at home, loving their husbands and bearing children.  Our role as women, is to our homes, husbands and children.  So why would you raise your daughter to be anything else besides a homekeeper?

Just what are you raising her to be?  Are you raising her to be "somebody" that the world deems worthy?  When in reality, the somebody she should be is what God designed her and all women to be - keepers at home, wives and mothers. There is NO greater calling than what God set forth in His Word and its up to you to teach your daughter what she was designed for.

There are even Christians, who believe in the woman's role, that are raising their daughters to be everything BUT a homekeeper.  They never teach them homemaking skills but applaud them at worldly pursuits.  They wonder why when their daughter becomes a woman, she has absolutely NO interest in being a homekeeper.  Why would she when she molded to think upon the world's design for women and not God's?

The time to weap isn't when our daughters grow up and scoff at homekeeping and have no desire to marry or bear children - you are the one that plants the seed in the heart of your daughters!  You are the one who God commands to train them up in the way they should go.  It isn't up to the Sunday school teacher or preacher, it is up to YOU as a mother to raise her to be what God created her for - a help meet to her husband, mother and homekeeper.

I've had some local acquaintances make comments to me and laugh that my daughter is like a little homekeeper.  I'm thinking.....these people BELIEVE in a woman being a homekeeper and they think it silly that I'm teaching mine to be one!?

It could be because they are of the thought that you kick your daughter out the door at 18 and she has to 'grow up'.  Just who came up with that?  It isn't the way my husband and I feel about it.  Our belief is that daughters should stay AT home under their father until they switch heads, so to speak, to their husband.  Most of the girls I've seen thrown out of the house at 18, got pregnant out of wedlock, rebelled and had no thoughts about being a homekeeper since they were raised their entire life to think about "what they want to be when they grow up."  We need to get back to the old-fashioned principles that worked and ditch this worldly feminist woman that is so greatly uplifted in this society.  Because let's face it - she is never satisfied until she becomes what she was designed for.

If we raise our daughters to be worldly-minded then we can't complain when they grow up and become just that.  How about raising them to be Godly-minded and raising them to be what they are created to be?  It is high time that we have a "return of the daughters", as I've seen a documentary on that very title.  Pure, Godly, Holy, God-minded daughters need to make a comeback and its up to US to plant those seeds in their hearts early on!

Facebook is not only is a den of gossip, full of vanity, promoting a superficial image of yourself, creating superficial friendships and is cited as the reason for divorce in 1 in 5 divorces, but now its being used for its original intended purpose - valuing others based upon looks.  This could cause depression, low self-esteem and eventually suicide.  Think of how many lives have been destroyed, don't forget marriages, by this tool.  How sad that parents would even let their children use such a thing.  God help us!




I like how this 21-year old got rid of his Facebook and wrote about it, he is more mature than most adults!

Facebook, we need to have a DTR (defining the relationship) talk…It’s not all your fault, it’s mostly mine…This is the end of you and me, Facebook. I’m leaving you because I have spent more time browsing your pages than I have been spending in the pages of The Good Book. And I can’t live like that anymore. I’ve let you become a monster…you’ve taken too much of my time and my thoughts. Maybe it’s just my lack of self-control or discipline, but you’re addictive to me. I’m ashamed of the number of times I check you daily. If I were able to grasp how much time I have spent swimming though your endless ocean of profiles, I would be able to bear the guilt.

Here’s why: because of your profiles, I’ve become lazy. Because of you I found myself talking with person after person, asking them questions that I already knew the answers to. On many levels I’ve substituted and even avoided personal interactions with people because of your artificial and superficial means of communication. You have diluted my perception of true social interaction.

You’ve made me a coward. There’s a difference between a Facebook friend and an actual friend. Everyone knows the difference, but when one tries to reach across the barrier from Facebook friends to actual friends it just isn’t the same.

Facebook, you’re not all bad. You have your benefits. I must admit, you allow me to network and keep in touch with people with whom I normally wouldn’t have been able to…but at what cost? Wasting time Facebooking people I’ll never meet has distracted me from meeting the person sitting next to me in class, or has kept me from calling up and hanging out with an old friend because Facebooking is just as good? I beg to differ.

In some form or another, you’ve hindered my investment in the relationships with those genuine people hiding behind the idealistic profiles they’ve made of themselves. Let’s face it, I don’t perceive myself in the same way someone else perceives me. From now on, I only want to know people for whom they truly are; not for what you (Facebook) says they are. I just can’t trust you.

‘This might seem radical, but I have to make up for lost time. This hurts me just as much as it hurts you, but I have to take a stand.

Logging out for good,

Kyle

Related: Who in the World Isn't on Facebook?
The Hyper-Socialized Generation
Technology Shapes Our Personality? Tech Addicts?

I only clean once a week on Mondays and just wash dishes and wipe counters on the other days.  I do, what I like to call, a cleaning marathon.  It takes me 3 hours to clean my home - that is TOTAL for the week.  Remember, I don't have many dishes because I haven't had to cook dinner meals since October with freezer cooking, so dishes are very minimal most days, except on baking days.  I also get all of my laundry done on Mondays, saving the towels/rags for last after my cleaning is finished.  I start a load first thing Monday morning.

Your house should stay clean for a week if everyone picks up after themselves.  My house stays "picked-up" (most of the time) meaning I make my daughter and husband pick up after themselves and then I pick up after myself.  If you do this all the time you shouldn't have to go through the house and pick up before you do your weekly cleaning.

Here is my routine for my cleaning marathon and I almost always follow it exactly.  I will have my mp3 player on and water bottle nearby because it is a workout!  I'm not just slowly cleaning - I'm running, sweating and burning some serious calories and so I don't schedule a workout in for Mondays because this is it:

1. Vacuum entire house - I start with the rug in the laundry room, one in the kitchen and the rugs in both bathrooms.  Then do the 3rd bedroom, hallway, dining room, living room and bedroom at a cardio pace.  My daughter vacuums her room, so it isn't included.
2. Dust entire house - I use a damp cloth for dusting.  I dust all the bookshelves, dining table, computer armoire, desk, printer cart and surfaces in the bedroom.  Then I clean my glass coffee table with glass cleaner and a t-shirt scrap.
3. Empty trash - empty all trash cans in the house.  
4. Clean bathrooms - toilets, sinks, chrome fixtures and mirrors in both bathrooms.  I use my all-purpose cleaner for everything except the toilet bowl; I use comet there.  I use 1 rag for counters/mirrors/chrome fixtures and another rag for the toilets.  Tubs are once a month.
5. Clean Kitchen - clean all surfaces and appliances
6. Sweep all floors - sweep kitchen, laundry room, both bathrooms and entryway; I mop when needed or once a month because we take our shoes off at the door and if something falls on the kitchen floor, I simply clean the spot right then.  My floors have stayed clean this way and only need mopping monthly.

This post has been on my mind for a long time and I thought it would be encouraging to women, like me, who have always been "night owls".  I've tried a lot to fit into the mold of the early riser but even when I did stick with rising early as I could, I found myself not getting hardly anything done.  It was like I was fighting my own body and my husband would tell me "Bev, quit fighting yourself and just go with it!"  After years of trying to fit into the mold of everyone else, I realized that I was just wired different and though others perform great in the morning, my mind and body are in high gear around evening and night-time.

When I was in the Air Force, I worked 12 hour night shifts from 7pm to 7am and it was great!  I felt like it was made for me and although I don't stay up that late, I still do my best at night.  Growing up and going to school was so difficult to me because I couldn't fall asleep until around 1am and would have to wake at 530am.  It really hindered me and I would fight sleep during the school day.

Just because the majority may perform best during the morning doesn't mean that everyone does.  I have learned that I do the most, perform the best - when I don't fight against my body.  I also perform best at 9 hours of sleep but definitely no less than 7.  Studies have shown that you must have at LEAST 7 hours of sleep to stay healthy.  That is the amount of time your body needs each night to heal properly.

Take into account my church's schedule.  We have service at a time that most school-age children go to bed. Then we don't get home a lot of times until 930-10pm.  How could I possibly put my child in public school and have her waking up before the sun even thought of coming up when she can only get to bed by about 11 or so?  Homeschool just works better for her because her age needs at least 10 hours of sleep a night.  You do the math.....most kids I know are so sleep deprived and the parents wonder why they do so poorly in school.  Also, when we return to Bible College in a few years (if that is God's will for us)......we won't get home from class and picking up our child until midnight.  So how could I possibly follow the "mold" of the "go to bed at 9 and wake up 4 or 5" crew?  I can't unless I want to not go to church at nights and forget Bible College LOL.  I could go on less sleep but that has proven to hamper your immune system, which makes you end up sickly and don't forget the grumpy part.  You hear some brag about how early they get up, it seems to be a badge of honor or something but show me what you do with it.  You don't hear a lot of bragging about "I woke up at 10am this morning!"  But.....seems like waking up at 4am is something others love to share with everyone.  Am I the only one that notices this!?

Then you will have the super spiritual person that says "Well, so and so in the Bible woke up when the sun came up".  Come on folks let's get real.  If we use that, then let's throw in the Proverbs 31 woman who burned the midnight oil ok?  Or let's say that the Bible shows MEN waking up early but women staying up late.  You could go on all day with silly stuff like that, let's just follow our best time according to our bodies.  My brain goes into high gear at night and yours may shut down then, who cares!?  Just perform at your time and I will perform at mine, amen?

So what does a night owl do that doesn't fit in the mold?  Go with it!  Since I took my husband's advice and just quit fighting my body......I can sleep at night, wake up about the same time every day and I get SO much done!  I can homeschool, keep the house clean, do crafts, blog, church activities and spend over an hour in my Bible every day and time praying.   Sure, I get the occasional look or criticism from others about how late I stay up or how late I wake up but you know what?  They need to eat their own bread lol AND if they look at how much I accomplish - they will have no room to look down on me for my sleep schedule.  I know a few friends that hide their sleep schedule from others because they are ashamed but I say don't be!  Night owls unite and its time to stand up for ourselves!